Virtual reality, art and music collide at Sub Chroma

When faced with a white canvas, there are countless materials an artist can choose from. But Sub Chroma, an event organized by Chicago production group Canvas, celebrates creative individuals that attempt to transcend what conventional art can do by using the blank space of the experience as a medium.

Equal parts art show, electronic music concert and party, Sub Chroma is a multi-sensory celebration that combines art, technology and music to convey human expression. Entering its third year, the annual event takes place this Saturday, November 19 at the 12,000 square-foot Moonlight Studios, putting a larger emphasis on technology than ever before.

House music legend Derrick Carter and electronic producer the Range will headline the Performance Room while local street artist Lefty Out There uses Google’s Tilt Brush virtual reality app to paint the stage in perfect harmony, with the assistance of projection mapping by new media artist DrmBt. Attendees are encouraged to dress in white so they can play a part in the immersive visuals. Fancy Fux, Beng Fang and Jim-E Stack are also scheduled to perform throughout the evening.

The event will feature three other art experiences, including Chicago’s first-ever virtual reality gallery, where guests are invited to put on a HTC Vive headset and explore rooms, tunnels and museums full of digital artwork. Visitors will also be welcome to check out the Analog Gallery, stocked with more traditional (non-digital) works by local artists, and an Experience Gallery where they'll be able to create their own works of digital art using a VR headset.

“We’re redefining the way people encounter art and challenging the boundaries of a traditional gallery experience, and a big part of that is the convergence of art with technology,” said Preston Jones, director of operations at Canvas.

If you decide to step inside Sub Chroma’s world for the night, you might just forget that you’re in Chicago.